Hunter S Thompson Is Smiling Somewhere This Morning

The Los Angeles Times is reporting:

In an unprecedented backlash, two state lawmakers who helped stiffen Colorado's gun laws were ousted Tuesday in a recall that turned into a nationally watched referendum on gun control.

Colorado Senate President John Morse, who shepherded the legislation to passage, was defeated on a 51%-49% vote. Sen. Angela Giron of Pueblo, a fellow Democrat who voted in favor of the measures, lost 56% to 44%. They were replaced by Republicans who opposed the new restrictions.

The recall was the first in the 100 years since Colorado adopted the constitutional provision and grew out of sweeping measures passed last winter after mass shootings at a school in Newtown, Conn., and at a movie theater in Aurora, outside Denver.

The laws limit gun magazines to 15 rounds and require universal background checks, to be paid for by the gun purchaser, among other restrictions. They passed without a single Republican vote. The laws, which took effect July 1, remain in force despite Tuesday's vote.

Hunter S. Thompson would be happy.